Electricity so cheap that only the rich will burn candles

Edison didn’t invent the lightbulb right out of the gate.

His first successful invention was the phonograph, a machine that would record and play back sound.

Which was groundbreaking. In fact, his first one hundred inventions all revolved around the phonograph. And with the help of public demonstrations of this new machine, the inventor became world famous.

Thomas, however, knew there were bigger creative fish to fry. Proud as he was of his maiden voyage with the phonograph, he set it aside six years later to work on an invention that was, shall we say, a little bit brighter.

The world’s first commercial practical incandescent lightbulb.

This invention had a widespread impact on the modern industrialized world and enabled him to start his legendary lighting company. Edison even joked during one of his famous demonstrations, we will make electricity so cheap that only the rich will burn candles.

Proving, that one invention does not a successful career make. Creators have to repeat the process by returning to the mountain over and over again, rather than milking a single idea for a lifetime.

The question entrepreneurs have to ask themselves is:

Will you build a business that outlives its first good idea?

To do so, you must maintain your hunger to learn and grow. Even beyond what you thought was capable. Continuing to call on yourself a little more with each effort.

Doesn’t mean every idea has to be a home run, but the ideal is to be elevating in addition to simply executing. To stick around long enough until the world is finally ready for you.

Nolan famously conceived his innovative war film in the nineties during a family vacation as a young man, but postponed production until he had acquired sufficient experience directing large scale action films. Ten movies, three decades, and nearly two billions dollars in box office sales later, he finally felt up to the challenge.

And his patience, persistence and passion paid off.

Dunkirk was a massive international triumph. All because the filmmaker was willing to outlive his first good idea, not to mention, many other good ideas after it.

One invention does not a successful career make.

Sandler’s book on writing and selling television scripts comes to mind. He gives filmmakers advice for breaking into the business, and here’s his advice:

You will know if an agent really does like your work if, after you hear that they love it, you also hear, what else ya got? Remember, in television, an agent or a producer is not looking at your spec to find a script, but to find a writer.

Note the distinction. He’s talking about the invention versus the inventor. The latter is what people are buying. That’s why we have to outlive our first good idea.

Because anybody can be good once. If you want a chance at beating the odds, do it with a massive amount of output.

Because the best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas. And then be willing to grow beyond them.

What old invention are you not willing to let go of?